Inventory No: Historic Name: HRV.50 Patch House Common Name: Address: 20 Fairbank St City/Town: Village/Neighborhood: Center Local No: 17D-54; 262 Year Constructed: R 1750 Architect(s): Architectural Style(s): Use(s): Significance: Area(s): Designation(s): Colonial Multiple Family Dwelling House; Single Family Dwelling House Architecture HRV.A: Common Historic District HRV.O: Center Historic District Local Historic District (3/27/1975); Nat'l Register District (7/22/1997) The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) has converted this paper record to digital format as part of ongoing projects to scan records of the Inventory of Historic Assets of the Commonwealth and National Register of Historic Places nominations for Massachusetts. Efforts are ongoing and not all inventory or National Register records related to this resource may be available in digital format at this time. The MACRIS database and scanned files are highly dynamic; new information is added daily and both database records and related scanned files may be updated as new information is incorporated into MHC files. Users should note that there may be a considerable lag time between the receipt of new or updated records by MHC and the appearance of related information in MACRIS. Users should also note that not all source materials for the MACRIS database are made available as scanned images. Users may consult the records, files and maps available in MHC's public research area at its offices at the State Archives Building, 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, open M-F, 9-5. Users of this digital material acknowledge that they have read and understood the MACRIS Information and Disclaimer (http://mhc-macris.net/macrisdisclaimer.htm) Data available via the MACRIS web interface, and associated scanned files are for information purposes only. THE ACT OF CHECKING THIS DATABASE AND ASSOCIATED SCANNED FILES DOES NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS. IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING A DEVELOPER AND/OR A PROPOSED PROJECT THAT WILL REQUIRE A PERMIT, LICENSE OR FUNDING FROM ANY STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY YOU MUST SUBMIT A PROJECT NOTIFICATION FORM TO MHC FOR MHC'S REVIEW AND COMMENT. You can obtain a copy of a PNF through the MHC web site (www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc) under the subject heading "MHC Forms." Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts Historical Commission 220 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125 www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc This file was accessed on: Friday, February 08, 2013 at 11:42 PM
FORM B - BUILDING assessor's 17D-54 usgs quad Ayer area Common Massachusetts Historical Commission 80 Boylston Street Boston MA 02116 Town Place form #50 Common Address 20 Fairbank Street Historic Name: Patch House Use Present residence Original residence Date of construction: 18th cen? Sketch Map Source Style Form Architect Exterior reverse colonial saltbox N/A Material: Wall/Trim wood Roof asphalt A Foundation stone Outbuildings barn See rear of form for more detailed description Alterations addition See rear of form for more detailed description. Condition good Recorded by: Claire W. Dempsey Organization: Historical connission Date: May 1993 ;v;-.o JUL 1 5 1993 Moved no Acreage.28 acres Setting See rear of form for detailed description ISlASS. HISJ. COMM.
BUILDING FORM ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION The Patch House s i t s on a l o t o f.28 acres a t 20 F a i r b a n k S t r e e t, along t h e western side o f t h i s densely occupied v i l l a g e road. The house i s an u n u s u a l example o f expanding an o l d e r b u i l d i n g, i n w h i c h a second house s i t s n e x t t o t h e o r i g i n a l, and l i t t l e e f f o r t t o merge t h e two d e s i g n s i s e v i d e n t. On t h e r i g h t i s a f i v e - b a y s a l t - b o x house, w i t h a c l a p b o a r d e d, f i v e bay facade. A l t h o u g h t h e a n g l e o f t h e r e a r r o o f l i n e i s a s i n g l e unbroken l i n e, t h e t r e a t m e n t of t h a t e l e v a t i o n suggests t h a t t h e r e a r t e i r ws an a d d i t i o n. The t r i m i s s i m p l e, p l a i n boards a t t h e 6/9 sash and a t t h e c e n t e r door. C e r t a i n l y t h e p o r t i o n o f t h e house t o t h e l e f t i s an a d d i t i o n t o t h i s b u i l d i n g, a three-bay gabled block s e t i n a forward plane from t h e saltbox. I t has a b r i c k end w a l l and i s screened b y a p o r c h o f square colomns and m a t c h i n g square b a l u s t e r e d r a i l. Behind t h i s p o r t i o n o f t h e house, a f u l l two-and-a-haif s t o r y e l l extends t o t h e r e a r, j o i n i n g t h e house t o t h e l a r g e, c l a p b o a r d e d, c r o s s - g a b l e d b a r n / c a r r i a g e house. The house has a s m a l l f r o n t lawn w i t h hedges m a r k i n g t h e b o u n d a r i e s on e i t h e r s i d e, and a l a r g e r e a r lawn. HISTORICAL NARRATIVE The Patch House appears t o d a t e t o t h e 1 8 t h c e n t r u y, b u t i t s e a r l y owners a r e n o t known. By 1831 t h e p a r c e l i s l a b e l l e d "P. D a v i s, " p o s s i b l y e i t h e r P e t e r (b. 1757) o r Phineas ( b. 1766). Phineas s o l d h i s f a r m i n t h e e a s t e r n p a r t o f H a r v a r d t o t h e town i n 1825 when i t v o t e d t o e s t a b l i s h a f a r m f o r i t s poor. D u r i n g t h e l a t e 19th c e n t u r y t h e house was owned by s e v e r a l g e n e r a t i o n s o f t h e Patch f a m i l y. Andrew Patch s e r v e d t h e town as j u s t i c e o f t h e peace a f t e r 1879, and was succeeded here by Maria Patch (1893), A. Warren Patch (1898), and Lucy Patch (1906). I n 1870, t h e double-house l o o k o f t h i s p r o p e r t y i s c o n f i r m e d by t h e appearence o f two names on t h e map, "Miss F a r r " and "A. Patch." REFERENCES Anderson, D i r e c t i o n s of a Town, 1976. Nourse, H i s t o r y of, 1894. Essays on Common Area b y Sawyer (1952) and Hersey (1936). Notes o f S c o u r g i e, HHS. Holman Map o f 1831. Beers A t l a s o f 1870. R i c h a r d s o n A t l a s o f 1898. _x_ Recommended f o r l i s t i n g i n t h e N a t i o n a l R e g i s t e r o f H i s t o r i c P l a c e s. S e e NR C r i t e r i a S t a t e m e n t form f o r t h e H a r v a r d Common A r e a
MHC INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MHC Inventory scanning project, 2008-2012 MACRIS No.
^, FORM B In A r e a no. I LDIN G MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office "i the S-<MMtry. State Hous. Boston F o r m no. B< 1. Town r>v/r Address Present use dtrellins: Present owner fliura Fosa 3, D e s c r i p t i o n : Date b e f o r e 1331 Source Map o f 1331 Style Architect it her buudjrigs. Exterior wall fabric<&«"brick ^nd rs r<»«t clipboard Outbuildings (describe) non«indicate n o r t h. Other features l a r g e»11 - v t ^ d -bout 1 ^ Altered Moved porch Date^ ; Date 5. L o t size: Less than one a c r e _ i ^ Over one acre A p p r o x i m a t e frontage 60-70 f t A p p r o x i m a t e distance of b u i l d i n g f r o m s t r e e t 20 f t. DO NOT W R I T E I N THIS SPACE USGS Quadrant 6. Recorded by Organization MHC Photo no. E l v i r a L. "-corgis : -Hsrv* ii rp0^i&-\ D i s t r i c t H*rv«r-i Hi : Date (over) December 6, 197- p
7. Original owner (if known) Original use Subsequent uses (if any) and dates unknown dwelling 8. Themes (check as many as applicable) lw*l V ig Aboriginal Agricultural Architectural The Arts Commerce Communication Community development Conservation Education Exploration/ settlement Industry Military Political Recreation Religion Science/ invention Social/ Humanitarian Transportation 9. Historical Significance (include explanation of t'semes checked above) 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) Map of 1531 of town of